


The Song

by Shana_Rose



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: AKA Lance being THAT friend you know the one who actively enjoys wanting you squirm, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Band Fic, Bisexual Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), College Band, Fluff and Humor, I don't actually say he's Pan in the fic but he is, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Merlin (Merlin), Pansexual Merlin, Smug Lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27685429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shana_Rose/pseuds/Shana_Rose
Summary: Merlin chugs down his beer before slamming it down and swearing. “Fuuuuuuck. Fuck fuck fuck.”Lance grinned not even trying to hide his amusement as he patted his friend on the back. “It could be worse. He could have hated the song.”Merlin sighed but nodded. Lance was right it could have been worse; Arthur could have realized the song was about him.-Merlin writes a song about his crush, Gwaine tries to figure out who's it about, Lance is smug, and Arthur is pretty sure THAT song will be the death of him. The band AU no one asked for.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 37
Kudos: 301





	The Song

**Author's Note:**

> So this fic was inspired by the song 'Just Touch' by The Hubbards. Every time I heard the song I couldn't get the image of Merlin singing it about Arthur out of my head.
> 
> Once again thank you to the AMAZING [Treeni](https://archiveofourown.org/bookmarks?utf8=%E2%9C%93&bookmark_search%5Bsort_column%5D=created_at&include_bookmark_search%5Bfandom_ids%5D%5B%5D=232768&bookmark_search%5Bother_tag_names%5D=&bookmark_search%5Bother_bookmark_tag_names%5D=&bookmark_search%5Bexcluded_tag_names%5D=&bookmark_search%5Bexcluded_bookmark_tag_names%5D=&bookmark_search%5Bbookmarkable_query%5D=&bookmark_search%5Bbookmark_query%5D=&bookmark_search%5Blanguage_id%5D=&bookmark_search%5Brec%5D=0&bookmark_search%5Bwith_notes%5D=0&commit=Sort+and+Filter&pseud_id=Treeni&user_id=Treeni) for being my beta! Seriously you da best!

_You're the ghost in my bed_

_You're the joke I once said_

_You're the book I ~~forget~~_

Merlin hunched his shoulders and awkwardly scratched out the last two words on the page as he scowled down at his notebook that kept shifting on his thigh. He just couldn’t seem to get comfortable on his stool.

Forget wasn’t the right word. No, he needed something more powerful, something that better expressed the longing he felt. He bit his lip and mumbled the words to himself before finally deciding on the word _unread_.

He sighed and leaned against the wall, his body slumping down a bit on the stool. He didn’t even know why he was working on this song right before band practice. After all, he had no intentions of showing it to anyone, ever. He would die if they saw this, let alone figured out who the song was about.

Merlin shook his head, _yeah, no they could never see this_.

Just as Merlin thought this, the door to the studio slammed open, revealing two of his bandmates, Arthur and Gwaine. The sound startled Merlin, and like the clumsy idiot he was, he dropped his notebook down in surprise and it landed right in front of Gwaine.

God really did hate him, didn’t he?

Gwaine immediately reached down and grabbed it. Merlin prayed that he wouldn’t look but Merlin had never been the lucky type.

“You workin’ on a new song Merlin?” Gwaine asked, he smiled cheerfully as he looked down at the lyrics.

Merlin leaped off the stool attempting to grab it back. “Er it’s really rough right now. Not band ready at all.”

Merlin inwardly swore as Arthur spoke, his voice teasing to coverup his surprise as he pulled the notebook out of Gwaine’s hand. “You’re working on a new song? Without me?”

Okay, okay he could fix this.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to work on songs without your permission, your highness.” Merlin prayed that they didn’t notice how nervous he was or strange it was that he hadn’t mentioned the new song.

Arthur rolled his eyes but smiled at the comment before looking at the lyrics.

Gwaine laughed throwing his voice into a childish coo as he said, “Aww is princess pouting that his writing hubby worked on a song without him?”

Merlin _felt_ his ears turn red. Ever since he joined the _Knights of the Fucked-Up Table_ six months ago, he and Arthur had always written all the songs for the band together. It started with him suggesting a tweak to one of their lyrics. Arthur grumbling about how there was nothing wrong with his lyrics and then read the change out loud to prove him wrong, only to make a face. The face Arthur only makes when he is pleasantly surprised about something. Arthur grumbled for a few more minutes but in the end, he changed the lyric.

After that, whenever Arthur was stuck on a line or needed to bounce ideas off someone he came to Merlin, and then Merlin started to come to him with ideas as well. Before either one realized it, they were discussing all potential songs together and scribbling on notebooks together whether it was at band practice, coffee shops, or each other’s flats.

Merlin was pulled out of that thought by Arthur’s voice saying, “Shut up Gwaine.” The blond paused before looking at Merlin, his eyes thoughtful. “This is actually not terrible.”

His heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Not terrible in Arthur speak meant he liked it. He _really_ liked it. “Really?”

Arthur shrugged. “Yeah it could use a few tweaks, but it works. When Lance gets here, we can try it out.”

Arthur looked down at the song and frowned, “What were you thinking for the tempo?”

Merlin felt light-headed. Arthur liked his song. _Arthur. Liked His Song._ His head felt dizzy. Fuck he needed a drink.

* * *

Merlin chugs down his beer before slamming it down and swearing. “Fuuuuuuck. Fuck fuck fuck.”

Lance grinned not even trying to hide his amusement as he patted his friend on the back. “It could be worse. He could have hated the song.”

Merlin sighed but nodded. Lance was right it could have been worse; Arthur could have realized the song was about _him_.

Lance pursed his lips and opened his mouth. “Merlin-”

“No.” Because he knew exactly what Lance was about to say.

His friend frowned. “Merlin.”

“No! No way! I’m not telling Arthur that I fancy him!” He would honestly die before admitting it.

Merlin groaned and rested his eyes against his palms. How did he end up falling for Arthur fucking Pendragon? Arthur fucking Pendragon who was obnoxious, pretentious, privilege, hard-headed, and honestly a bit of a wanker.

He sighed because he already knew the answer to that. Yes, Arthur could be all those things, but he was also caring, understanding, clever, funny, and surprisingly thoughtful.

Somewhere along the way of joining the band and writing songs together, Merlin and Arthur started hanging out after shows, and then outside of band practice, and then they were texting each other every day.

At first, it was just band stuff but slowly it became about music in general, then memes, and then about everything. How each other’s day was, the annoying git in Merlin’s maths class or Arthur’s sister Morgana and her latest prank on him.

And it didn’t help that Arthur was fucking fit and hated his shirts being sweaty and thus constantly changing t-shirts throughout the day. Merlin might or might not have “accidentally” spilled his drink on him during band practice or when Arthur came over to his flat so Arthur would have to take off his shirt. (That may or may not have been how Lance figured it out) And somewhere along that path, Merlin developed a _teeny tiny_ crush on the bloke. Which… wasn’t so teeny tiny anymore.

Lance groaned, “I don’t understand why you are so set against it. It’s not like you don’t have a shot. Arthur’s bi after all.”

Merlin his hands up in the air. “How many times do we have to go over this. He doesn’t think about me like that. I’m just his mate. A good mate, but just that nothing more.” Arthur had never hinted that he was interested in him in any way besides friendship.

“You don’t know that! I’m telling you, I’ve known Arthur for two years and the man is remarkably subtle when it comes to crushes.”

Merlin snorted. “Yeah because he was so subtle with his ex Vivian.” Arthur had been _real_ subtle about sticking his tongue down her throat when they had met at that club four months ago.

His wavy-haired friend winced. “Okay fine, but that was a one-off thing. If anything, she’s the exception that proves the rule.”

Merlin frowned. “I never got that saying. How does an exception prove it’s the rule? If anything, it should prove it isn’t the rule.”

Lance sighed and got up. “I need another drink.”

* * *

Merlin took a deep breath as the song ended and the crowd cheered. _The Knights of the Fucked-Up Table_ were doing a gig. The club was small, but it’s was a good crowd for a Thursday night. Still, he felt slightly nervous about introducing the next song. _His song_. He grabbed the water bottle standing next to the speaker and took a sip.

Taking another breath, he glanced over at Lance on bass, and then Arthur on guitar both nodded at him before he finally grabbed the mic. “Right this next song is called ‘Just Touch.’”

Merlin closed his right hand around the mic and his left along the middle of the stand. He closed his eyes and listened to the first struts of the song. His lips nearly pressed into the mic when he began to sing.

_I can do what you want me to_

_Just reach out and touch me_

Merlin felt his body go lax as he sang, letting himself forget everything as he fell into the flow of the song.

_Boy I just wanna say, yeah I just wanna say_

_I don't like your boyfriend_

_No, I don't like your boyfriend_

He’s next to Lance, singing to him as he slowly strokes his hand down his arm. Lance grinned in amusement as he, Gwaine, and Arthur sing back. _I think he’s cooler than me._

Merlin moved back to the front singing to the audience. Pouring out his feelings, everything he’s felt about Arthur over the last few months. The want, the jealousy, the way he never seemed to leave his head, the way he has desperately wanted to touch him. His hands splayed against the mike stand again, gripping it like a crutch.

_You're the ghost in my bed_

_You're the joke I once said_

_You're the book I unread_

_You're the voice in my head_

He then pulled the mike off the stand and walked back towards Gwaine on drums. He leaned his hip against one of his drums and sings the next few lines to Gwaine.

Gwaine smiled wolfishly, playing up the attention before Merlin walked back to the front.

Merlin can’t say why but as he sang the next part he stayed at the front but turned his head to look at Arthur, their eyes locked as he sang.

_Keep me low_

_Just enough_

_When we touch_

_I know that things will get good for you_

Merlin took a breath. His voice sounding deeper, and breathy as he sang even to him. Their eyes stay connected. They have practiced this song so many times over the last few weeks, but never like this.

Never with him flirting with Lance and Gwaine and certainly never with him and Arthur staring at each other so intensely. Arthur’s blue eyes seemingly hanging on to his every word. Almost like-

It’s was at that moment whatever spell casted on Merlin broke. He snapped his eyes away from Arthur’s and looks back at the audience and sings the final lines of the song.

The crowd cheered loudly, screaming in delight, and Merlin still held onto the stand tightly as he tried to shake ridiculous thoughts out of his head before he introduces their next song.

* * *

Arthur was in a daze.

He waved at the screaming crowd as they left the stage but he barely registered them. His brain had stopped functionally halfway through the set and it’s a miracle he hadn’t completely fucked up his parts.

All he could think about was Merlin’s voice singing _that song_ , the way Merlin looked at him, his eyes dark and heedy. Just the thought made his body uncomfortably warm.

He passed through the curtain marked backstage and looked up to see Merlin taking a long sip from his water bottle and Arthur can’t help but stare at Merlin’s long pale neck. Suddenly one of the lyrics from the song slammed into his head. _When we touch, I know that things will get good for you_. Arthur almost moaned at the thought because _fuck._

Suddenly he felt a hand clapped him on the back.

“Well, that was some show!” Gwaine declared smugly. Wrapping his arm around Arthur’s shoulder, he loudly whispered, “I always knew Merlin was gorgeous but bloody hell! Who knew he could be so drop-dead sexy?”

Not waiting for a response, Gwaine pulled away and grabbed Merlin into a headlock, the both of them laughing as Gwaine gave him a playful noogie.

Arthur felt his heart thumping loudly against his chest as he stared at Merlin. He whispered quietly to himself, “Yeah, who knew.”

* * *

It’s been three weeks since _the incident_ and Arthur still couldn’t get Merlin’s singing out of his head. Merlin was now the voice in his head just like in that stupid song of his. The irony was not lost on him.

It didn’t help that just thinking about the song made the heat coil in his stomach in need, so he was walking around basically half-hard all the time now. Just seeing Merlin’s stupid smile, his absurdly long legs, and deceivingly innocent smile made him want to throw the man against the nearest wall and ravish him.

The frustrating part about all of it was that this wasn’t exactly new information. Arthur wasn’t blind, he had always known Merlin was ridiculously attractive. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it before, but it had always been a passing thought; _The sky is blue, his chemistry paper was due at four, and Merlin was hot._ He could normally push it to the back of his head, but now it was all he could think about.

So, suffice to say, band practice had become excruciating.

They were taking a fifteen-minute break when Arthur finally allowed himself to really look at Merlin. He was wearing that ridiculous deep green jumper of his. The thing was ancient and had holes of the hems on the arms that Merlin was constantly sticking his fingers into, which only made the holes bigger. The worst part, however, was the fact that it was clearly two sizes too big for him and the neckline kept sliding down his left shoulder, revealing the smooth pale skin underneath. It taunted Arthur, with how soft the area looked. He was currently musing on what the clear, moonlight-like pale skin would look like if he bit down and then sucked on until the area was red with his mark when Gwaine said something.

“Oh, come on Merlin tell me! Tell me who’s the song about!” Gwaine pouted, resting his head on the back of the chair he was sitting backwards on.

Merlin threw his head back in exasperation. “Nobody! The song isn’t about anyone! How many times do I have to say it?”

“Then why are you all flustered?” Gwaine asked, his smile cheeky, and sure enough, Merlin’s face was a lovely pink.

“Is not!” Merlin growled, which Arthur would have thought hilarious if it wasn’t for the slow sinking feeling currently filling his stomach.

It had never occurred to Arthur that the song could be about someone. And now, Arthur wasn’t thinking of leaving marks all over Merlin’s body and Merlin’s possible reactions but instead an imaginary stranger doing it, and no, Arthur did not like that thought one bit.

Arthur opened his mouth, not even sure what he was going to say when Lance came strolling back in.

“Hey, I got us some snacks.” He said as he dropped the bags of chips and candy on the small side table.

“Thanks mate,” Merlin said as he stuffed a handful of popcorn in his mouth and Arthur loathed how endearing he found the sight.

With Merlin’s mouth full Gwaine decided to take advantage of this golden opportunity. “Lance, Merlin just told me who his song is about, and you’ll never believe it!”

Merlin had a look of horror on his face as Lance said surprised, “Wait he told you? Both of you?”

He looked at Gwaine in surprise before looking at Arthur with curiosity.

Gwaine's face was gleeful for a second and then immediately frowned as Merlin desperately tried to swallow down his food. “You told Lance and not me?! What the hell?!”

Coughing slightly, Merlin glared at Lance. “I cannot _believe_ you fell for that!”

Lance scoffed, “You’re right, how silly of me for thinking that you would take my advice.”

Gwaine threw his hands up in the air. “Excuse me! What advice?! Why Lance and not me?! And most importantly, WHO IS THE SONG ABOUT!?”

Merlin groaned. “It’s nothing! And Lance knows because unlike _some people_ he can keep a secret!”

Gwaine pouted. “Bloody hell that was one time! And you never said it was a secret!”

Arthur tuned out the rest of their bickering as a sudden bout of nausea hit him. His head filled to the brim with one thought. Merlin wrote that song about someone. _Merlin wrote that song about someone and it wasn’t him._

* * *

Merlin frowned into his pint as he looked at the door.

They had just finished another show and once again rather than celebrate with them at the pub like usual Arthur had begged off, claiming he wasn’t feeling it that night.

Merlin bit his lip. Arthur had been off ever since the week before when Gwaine started badgering Merlin about who the song was about.

Dread filled his stomach, not for the first time over the thought that Arthur had figured it out and was distancing himself from everyone because it made him uncomfortable.

Merlin tried to convince himself, that that wasn’t true but the evidence was starting to build up.

Gwaine pulled Merlin out of his thoughts, well sort of.

Drunkenly, Gwaine wrapped an arm around Merlin. “Would you tell me if I guessed?”

Merlin sighed in annoyance, “No.”

Gwaine however ignored him. “It is Leon?”

“No.”

“Percy?”

“No.”

“Freya?”

“No.”

“Morgana?”

“God no!” Merlin cried in horror. She was Arthur’s sister for gods’ sake!

Despite being very drunk, Gwaine frowned thoughtfully. “Why god no to Morgana? Why her?”

“Uuuhhh.” Because Merlin didn’t have an answer to that.

“Yeah, Merlin why god no to Morgana?” Lance asked smugly and Merlin had never wanted to strangle someone so much in his life.

“The only reason I can think of is if the song was about Arthur,” Gwaine said, the thought alone made him chuckle. “But it couldn’t-”

Gwaine glanced back at Merlin and grinned ear to ear at Merlin’s bright red face. “Bloody fucking hell! The song’s about Arthur! You like Arthur!”

Merlin groaned. “Please don’t! It’s already embarrassing enough that Lance knows!”

Gwaine of course ignored him and whistled at him before singing as annoyingly as possible, “You want to shag Arthur, you want to shag Arthur!”

“Gwaine!” Merlin shouted, before throwing a balled-up napkin at his face.

The man just laughed gleefully. “Honestly I don’t know why you’re acting so shy about it! In fact, what are you doing here when you could be shagging Arthur right this very moment?”

Merlin snorted, “Yeah, right.”

Gwaine frowned. “I’m serious.” He then turned to Lance, “Does he seriously not know?”

“Know what?”

Lance shook his head, ignoring Merlin’s question. “Believe me I’ve tried, but the man is convinced Arthur doesn’t think about him like that.”

Gwaine couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing.

“Oi, what am I missing?!” Merlin bellowed.

Gwaine snickered. “Clearly eyes.” When Merlin blinked in confusion Gwaine sighed. “Arthur has been drooling over you for weeks mate. Ever since you sang ‘Just Touch’ on stage, he hasn’t been able to take his eyes off of ya.”

“What? No. There’s no way.” Merlin said because it was true. There was absolutely no way Arthur wanted to shag him.

Lance gave him a pity smile. “It’s true mate. Arthur’s always slyly checked you out when you wore a particular fit outfit but ever since that song, he hasn’t even tried to hide the fact.”

Gwaine nodded, “Now he’s just staring longingly at you all the time.”

“What! Nooo. What?” Merlin said, frowned. There was no way. He would have noticed if Arthur was staring at him, wouldn’t he?

Gwaine nodded. “I’m serious mate! And ever since he found out the song was about someone, he’s been devastated! Moping around like a sad puppy.”

Merlin frowned, “What? Why?”

Lance sighed and looked at him like it should be obvious by now. “Because he thinks you fancy someone else.”

“Oh. OH!” Merlin said and he suddenly needed to see Arthur now. Like right now. He stood up and grabbed his things before he paused and asked, “And you’re absolutely sure he- that Arthur-“

Gwaine threw his hands up in the air, “Oh for fuck’s sake! Yes, Merlin! Arthur fancies you! He wants to date you and shag you and probably a bunch of other stuff! Now get your arse out of here and tell the man how you feel!”

Merlin didn’t need to be told a tenth time.

* * *

Arthur pulled the throw tighter against himself with one hand as he ate his chocolate fudge ice cream. He sighed. He was going to have to hit the gym tomorrow and do some serious cardio to work this off but right now he simply didn’t care. All he wanted to do was eat ice cream and wallow while watching action flicks.

He knew he needed to get over this. He couldn’t moon after Merlin forever but it was like a switch had gone off. One minute he was perfectly fine just being friends with him and then that bloody song happened, making him realise just how much of his feelings about Merlin he had been suppressing. And of course, when he finally lets himself think about Merlin in that way, he learns that Merlin fancied someone else. And once again like a bleeding switch going off, he realized, _just how much he liked Merlin_.

How much he liked his stupid curly hair, his stupid blue eyes, his stupid long fingers, his lips, his laugh, the way he always slouched in chairs, how he always tapped his fingers against his elbow when he was nervous, or jiggled his right leg when he was excited about something, how he always teased Arthur about being a rich kid, and how the man always told the stupidest jokes. All the traits he would find annoying on anyone else somehow were charming and cute on Merlin.

So here was Arthur again, alone in his flat eating ice cream and watching Baby Driver after a show because listening to Merlin sing _Just Touch_ somewhat simultaneously made butterflies and knots appear in his stomach.

Arthur had just stuffed another spoonful of ice cream in his mouth when someone knocked on the door. He debated for a moment pretending not to be home when the person knocked louder.

“Arthur! Please open the door!”

He immediately jumped up at the sound of Merlin’s frantic voice. Leaving the blanket and ice cream on the couch, Arthur rushed to the door.

“What’s wrong?” Arthur asked, yanking the door open.

Merlin stepped into the flat, opening and closing his mouth a few times. A blush crept up the man’s neck. “Nothing. Well, not nothing but er nothing serious.”

“Okay,” Arthur said, looking at the flustered man before him.

Merlin slid his hand up to his left arm and began tapping. “Right, um.” Merlin glanced around and his eyes suddenly stopped, his whole face softening at whatever he was looking at. And god help him, the sight made Arthur’s whole body feel warm and fuzzy.

Merlin smiled at him; a small, quiet, amused smile that made Arthur want to kiss him.

“I was talking to Gwaine and Lance and they convinced me to confess my feelings for the bloke I wrote _Just Touch_ about.”

Arthur wasn’t sure if it was better or worse that it was about a man. Pushing the thought away, Arthur cleared his throat and tried not to sound jealous as he asked, “Is that right? What are you doing here then?”

Merlin grinned widely, “I wanted your advice. I was thinking rather than tell him I could sing the song to him. Do you think that’s a good idea?”

He swallowed the lump down his throat before nodding. Hesitantly he added, “If someone serenaded me with a song, they wrote especially for me, I’d probably never stop smiling _._ ” What he wanted to say was, _If you wrote a song about me I’d probably jump you on the spot and never let you go._

Merlin laughed cheerfully. “Right then, I guess I should go do it.”

Arthur nodded and took a step back towards the door when Merlin started singing.

Arthur froze, not sure what was happening until he looked back at Merlin. His face was completely red and a nervous smile was playing on his face but his eyes were looking directly at him as he sang. Suddenly he was no longer frozen. In fact, his skin felt on fire, as if his entire body was aflame. The fire growing stronger with every word Merlin sang.

Merlin was just about to start the chorus when Arthur pushed him up against the wall and kissed him hard. Merlin immediately wrapped his arms around his neck, his fingers sliding into Arthur’s hair and tugging gently, causing Arthur to moan.

They stayed like this for several minutes, pulling desperately at each other. Their heads tilted as they kissed, urged on by each new whimper and moan until they finally had to come up for air.

Arthur sighed and pressed his forehead against Merlin’s. “Christ you have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do that.”

Merlin smirked, “Well according to Gwaine and Lance it’s been quite a while.”

Arthur blushed when a thought struck him. He smirked, “Says the man who literally wrote a song about how desperately he wants to shag me.”

“I did not!” Merlin grumbled. Before quietly adding, “I wrote a song about how mad I am about you.”

Arthur’s felt his heart melt at Merlin’s words. A soft smile filling his face as he said, “Good to hear because the feeling is mutual.”

He then pressed his hand lightly against Merlin’s cheek and gently caressed it.

Merlin smiled back, before pulling him back into another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> If you ever want to talk about this fic or my other fics please feel free to message me on Tumblr! I'm [Shana-Rosee](https://shana-rosee.tumblr.com/) :)


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